You won’t miss Queensland’s sevens dynamo Amahli Hala at the Next Gen 7s finale in Byron Bay on Sunday which is exactly why she wears pink headgear.
The reason is far cooler than some show-off in the NRL wearing wildly-coloured boots or a copycat AFL player trying to out-mullet a teammate.
“My Nan said she couldn’t tell where I was on the field when she was watching the live stream of my games,” Hala, 18, said with a laugh.
“Pink headgear it is. I’ve been wearing it for two years so Nan can see a pink thing running around the field.”
We have Hala’s nan Kaye to thank because it also makes it easier for spectators and viewers to admire her sharp footwork, anticipation and distribution as a rising sevens talent.
It’s funny. She is only one year out of King’s Christian College on the Gold Coast yet has been playing sevens long enough to feel like one of the older heads in this youthful Reds outfit.
“We’ve got a lot of talented younger girls who have come from sports outside of sevens. I guess I’m one of the older girls in rugby but not older if you know what I mean,” she said.
Hala’s maturity stands out immediately. She’s a leader on the field with her actions and regularly ignites the Reds in attack.
In Toowoomba last weekend, she showed her full range of skills. She scooted 75m for her own try, freed her hands to pass for a Fa’agase Tupuola-Palale try and made a try-saving tackle in the corner.
The series against NSW sits at 1-all and four matches apiece. Bragging rights are on the line in Byron Bay between rugby’s oldest rivals in this country.
“It’s the decider. No one likes losing, especially to NSW,” Hala said.
The inclusion of Paris Olympian Kahli Henwood adds an extra dimension for the Reds just as the Waratahs have added some firepower.
“Kahli will make a massive difference. She has real clarity and composure with the way she plays and is a real leader,” Hala said.
“She’s got that foot-on-the-throat mentality when you get in front as well as being excellent at re-starts and with her tackling.”
The Next Gen 7s series is flushing out a new wave of talent.
Tupuola-Palale is just 17 and still a schoolgirl at King’s Christian College. She has scored seven tries in two tournaments and is still a rookie in the game.
Her size and finishing ability from long range have been eye-catching.
“Nasa (Tupuola-Palale) is building confidence all the time. She’s like an Amazon with what she can do, unstoppable, and a lovely person to go with it,” Hala said.
All Reds v Waratahs games in the Next Gen 7s at Byron Bay will be streamed for free on rugby.com.au and Rugby Xplorer.
